Each year, many teens gain their licenses and the ability to drive in California. Unfortunately, these new motorists face many potential dangers in their first years. However, learning about dangers for new drivers can help keep your teenagers safe behind the wheel.
Listening to loud music
Most people enjoy listening to music while driving. However, many teenagers don’t understand that loud music can be distracting. Loud music sometimes makes it hard for teen drivers and their passengers to hear other vehicles.
Using phones while driving
Almost every teenager has a smartphone. But no teen should ever use their smartphones while driving. A teenager taking their eyes off the road to check their phones is a huge contributor to motor vehicle accidents. As a parent, keep your teen driver safe by having them put up their smartphones while driving.
Eating and drinking behind the wheel
The average driver doesn’t have to travel far to find a fast food restaurant. Getting food from a drive-thru is convenient but can also be dangerous. Being too focused on food or beverages takes drivers’ attention away from the road. Tell your teenage drivers to eat food inside a restaurant rather than eating and driving.
Having too many passengers
It’s understandable for your new teenage driver to celebrate by taking their friends for a ride. But having too many people in a teenager’s car can lead to a deadly situation. A group of teenagers can quickly get loud, which makes it hard for a young driver to concentrate on driving.
Take time to speak about dangerous situations for new drivers with the teenage child in your life. These conversations might prevent your child from getting into an accident.